Fiji public servants may withdraw strike threat

Reports from Fiji indicate that a threatened strike by thousands of public servants may be averted.

Several public sector unions conducted strike ballots over the 5% pay cut for public servants and the lowering of the retirement age to 55 by the interim administration.

But talks between the unions and the interim administration yesterday suggest that a solution may be found.

The interim prime minister, Commodore Bainimarama, has promised there will be no more pay cuts and has undertaken to consider the unions' grievances.

The chairman of the Confederation of Public Sector Unions, Rajeshwar Singh, says they have asked the interim administration to restore the pay cuts in stages from December onwards.

The unions have also offered to suspend the Partnership Agreement and Memorandum of Understanding offering a range of pay increases signed by the Qarase government just before the May general elections last year.